IndiGo Faces Passenger Backlash: Airlines Offers Relief Measures Amid Widespread Flight Cancellations
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India's largest airline, IndiGo, is facing a massive backlash from passengers after thousands of flights were cancelled in a matter of days, leaving many stranded and frustrated. The airline has rolled out a series of relief measures to contain the chaos, including automatic refunds, waiver on rescheduling fees, and hotel accommodations for affected passengers. The crisis, which has affected major airports like Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, has been caused by a combination of factors, including a pilot shortage, delays due to a software glitch, and stricter enforcement of rest rules for pilots. The situation has been so severe that Delhi Airport was forced to suspend all IndiGo departures until 23:59, affecting 235 scheduled flights from the national capital alone. IndiGo has acknowledged the seriousness of the crisis and apologised for the distress caused to passengers. The airline has promised to gradually ease the disruptions starting Saturday as operations stabilise. To soften the blow for stranded travellers, IndiGo has announced several relief measures, including: * Automatic refunds for all cancelled flights * Full waiver on cancellation and rescheduling charges for travel between December 5 and December 15, 2025 * Thousands of hotel rooms arranged across multiple cities for affected passengers * Ground transportation support to move passengers to hotels and alternate flights * Food and snacks being offered at airports * Lounge access for senior citizens wherever possible The airline has also increased customer support staffing and is using its AI assistant to issue updates and help with rebooking. IndiGo has asked for cooperation from customers while it attempts to rebuild stability across its network. The aviation regulator, DGCA, has stepped in to help alleviate the crisis by withdrawing a provision that prevented weekly rest from being substituted with leave, giving airlines more rostering flexibility and helping pilots return to duty sooner. As tens of thousands of travellers remain stuck in limbo, the coming days will determine whether IndiGo can recover from one of its worst-ever operational breakdowns and restore the trust of passengers.
